Resurrection
by Rhianna-Aurora
Summary: Two years after X-2. Seymour finds a way back to Spira to take out his revenge on Yuna and Spira in general. However, three fallen heroes have been sent back to help save the world again. Rated for later chapters. AuronxRikku, definitely. ON HIATUS
1. Back to Life

**A/N:** **I had an attack of evil plotbunnies ... I've been dying to write something like this for awhile. I haven't forgotten the other stories I'm working on, it's just that I got inspired for this one, and so I'm running with it. If I don't use the inspiration I have when I have it, it just disappears, and that's no good. Plus, writing this has inspired me to write another chap of "Blessed, Cursed, Beautiful" which is forthcoming in very short order. Anyway, I hope you like this ... it's weird right now, and lots of stuff will be explained later in the story. So it's okay if you're confused now. It'll all get cleared up in good time. Enjoy and REVIEW, pretty please. XD All right ... on with the show:**

**Chapter One  
Back to Life**

**The Farplane**  
"I'd say that we have a deal," the Gatekeeper said wearily to the man standing before him. He wished that there were something in his power that he could do to prevent what was about to happen. 

If he'd been in possession of a conscience, it would be screaming at him right now. As it was, he knew this was wrong, and that Spira _and_ High Summoner Yuna were about to be met with a world of pain … _again_.

But this … man … had found a loophole, and he had worked it to his advantage. The Gatekeeper's hands had been figuratively tied.

The man sneered evilly, clasping his ugly clawed hands together behind his back. "Well, then," he said in a voice that was too gentle to come from one so diabolical, "let's get on with it, shall we? I have work to do."

"Of course you do," the Gatekeeper sighed. With a flick of his wrist, a shimmering green portal appeared. He watched as the blue-haired former Yevonite maester passed through, and he closed his eyes.

Seymour Guado, walking among the living again … the gods only knew what his plans were, but the Gatekeeper suspected that it had something to do with the High Summoner, and revenge.

Seymour had come to the Gatekeeper, professing that he should be set free from this "eternal hell" as he called it. The Gatekeeper, had of course, refused such a notion. Seymour was sent, his life was over.

However, there was a clause that nobody knew about … that no one but the Gatekeeper was supposed to know about, for it was his job to enact balance and stability in the world of Spira.

It was the "unfinished" clause. Usually reserved for heroes who had met an untimely death in their fight for the greater good. If there was anything that they had not gotten to do while on Spira before they had met their end, they were allowed to go back, and resolve, not as ghosts, but as fully functional mortals. It was only used once in a very great while, and usually at the behest of the Fayth. They had used it for Tidus.

But the Fayth were gone now … and _somehow_, Seymour Guado had found out about it. And once you knew about the clause, you were entitled to it, regardless. The Gatekeeper had been forced to release Seymour.

However, Seymour was not aware of the need for balance in the world. If someone like Seymour Guado was released into Spira, than someone who was equally as powerful on the side of good must also be set free.

However, this time, being as Seymour Guado was thrice as evil and dark as anyone in all of Spira had ever been … there was need for three times the goodness and light.

Another flick of his wrist, and the Gatekeeper sighed, knowing he had done all that he could to tip the scales in the right direction.

Three heroes were going home.

**Bikanel Island**  
Rikku paused and looked across the vast ocean of sand before her. "Tysh dras," she muttered. "Why do they always do that?" It seemed like every time Rikku went out on a dig or any other mission with Brother, Nimrook, and Gippal, they always ditched her, leaving her to find her _own _way back to Home. "I'm so gonna kick your asses when I get back there!" she yelled out to no one in particular. 

Who did they think they _were_, anyway? She did more work than the three of them _combined_, and they still treated her like some silly little girl. Which she _wasn't_. She was nearly twenty-years-old, for sand's sake. It was all Gippal's fault, really. His way of showing affection was to disappear and then to tease her about taking so long later.

She sighed. She was tired of his silly little games. Was he interested in her _like that_ or not? She wasn't getting any younger, and she didn't want to wait forever for the dummy to make up his mind.

Suddenly, she had the feeling of a ghost walking through her and she shivered. "What the hell?" she muttered. A huge clap of thunder boomed above her and she yelped, even though thunder didn't scare her any more.

But why the _hell_ was it thundering on Bikanel Island? Looking up, she was shocked to see that the sky was darkened and the clouds hung low and threatening.

When the sky opened up and a torrent of rain drenched her in seconds flat, she knew that something terrible was going to happen … the last time it had rained in the desert was the day before her mother had died. As quickly as it had begun, the rain stopped, and the blistering desert sun replaced the dark clouds.  
"All right … what the _fuck_ is going on?" she muttered, eyes narrowing.

"Well, I'll be damned." She heard a masculine voice say, and then he whistled lecherously. "You never told me how _fine_ the Al Bhed girls were, Auron."

"Auron?" Rikku's eyes widened at the name and she spun around, finding herself looking at the faces of two very familiar men … Sir Jecht and … Auron! Gods … she remembered, watching him fade into a cloud of pyreflies four years ago. She hadn't really given it much thought since then.

They hadn't been _close_ on Yunie's pilgrimage … she was the young one, the annoying little Al Bhed, and he was the older, stoic warrior. Yeah, she'd had a _tiny _little crush on him, but who wouldn't? She had been sad to see him go, because he had been kind to her when she had been scared.

"Rikku?" Auron nearly choked as he looked her over. She was all grown up. "What … what the hell are you doing here?" All he could think was that he was _dead_ … on the Farplane … so why was _she_ here? What had happened to her? Had she been in pain?  
"Well, I'm about to ask you the same thing," Rikku said testily, trying to hide her sudden shock at seeing the two of them, standing before her. "What brings you two _dead guys_ to Bikanel?" She tried to keep her tone light, but her heart was racing to be seeing them … in the flesh.

"Wait. Bikanel?" Jecht said. "I thought … this isn't the Farplane?"

Rikku looked at him as if he were crazy. "If _this_ is the place of eternal rest, I'd rather be unsent," she said bluntly, and then looked at Auron. "I mean …" She giggled nervously.

Auron chuckled a bit in spite of himself. All grown up, yes, but still the same old Rikku deep down. And that was important. There had never been anything about Rikku that needed to be changed in the first place. "It's okay," he told her, eliciting a grin from the blonde. "It appears we're back on Spira," he told Jecht, taking in his surroundings. "Though why we ended up _here_, I'll never know."  
Rikku cocked her head and regarded the men. "Any ideas as to why you're back?" she asked.

Auron looked thoughtful, and Jecht scratched the back of his neck, the same way Tidus did.

Rikku's eyes widened. "Tidus!" she cried. "We … we should go to Besaid. Tidus and Yunie, they'll want to see you."

"It's as good a plan as any," Jecht said to Auron. "Until we figure out what the hell is going on here."

"All right, let's go," Auron said brusquely.

"Follow me. We'll go to Home, and Pops can take us on the airship," Rikku said. "Wow … Yunie's gonna be _so surprised_!"

"Well, that makes _all_ of us, then," Jecht said under his breath. There had to be a reason they were back on Spira … and on Bikanel Island, of all places? With _this_ girl? "By the way, who _is_ she?" he asked Auron.

Auron smiled a little. "Rikku," he said simply. "Don't you recognize her?"

"Rikku?" Jecht asked. "The little one who traveled with you on Yuna's pilgrimage?" He looked at the girl – no, she was a woman now – who was leading them through the sand dunes. "Well, I'll be damned," he said, quickening his steps. "C'mon, Old Man!" he yelled back at Auron, causing Rikku to giggle.

"Tidus called him that, too," she said brightly, looking over her shoulder and tossing Auron an easy grin. "Isn't that right?"

"Hmph," Auron said nonchalantly, though he picked up his pace to catch up with them. "Seems you and your son have more in common than either of you would like to think," he told Jecht.

"Hey!" Rikku said suddenly, stopping. "I just thought of something."

"Can't this wait? I'm broiling out here," Jecht said irritably.

Rikku glared at him, a look that said "don't fuck with me, buddy." Auron tried to hide a smirk. Jecht, being railroaded by this little bit of a thing. Although, Auron knew as well as anyone, that Rikku was a hell of a fighter, and much stronger than she looked.

"What is it, Rikku?" he asked her.

Rikku smiled at him. "Thank you, _Auron_," she said, still glaring at Jecht. No wonder Tidus was such a pain in the ass. "I was just wondering … you guys are both here, so … where's Braska?"

**Isle of Besaid**  
Yuna looked up at the normally azure Besaidian sky and frowned. It had suddenly become cloudy, like it might rain. But it _never_ rained in Besaid. "Strange," she said to herself as she walked along the path from the beach, back toward the village. 

She walked into the hut that she and Tidus had lived in since their marriage two years ago. She never could quite get over all that had happened to her in the past four years.

She and her guardians – all _six_ of them – had defeated Sin … not just for a little while, but _permanently_. But then, Sir Auron had had to be sent, and Tidus had faded into nothingness, as dreams were so prone to do.

Two years ago, there had been another adventure … this one with Rikku and Paine. It, too, had been world threatening, but once again, she had prevailed …

And Tidus had come back to her. These past two years had been among the happiest she had ever known. Aside from the fact that Rikku and Paine had both left Besaid shortly after her wedding, Yuna felt complete, for the first time since losing her father nearly fifteen years ago.

"Why do you look so serious?" Tidus asked her, looking up from the sofa when she walked in.

Yuna looked up, shaking herself out of her reverie and smiling at the blond-haired miracle before her. "Oh, it's … it's nothing," she said quickly.

Tidus shook his head. "Auron was right about you," he told her, standing up and crossing the room to her.

"About what?" Yuna asked, puzzled.

"You're a poor liar," Tidus said, adopting a deeper register for his voice and mimicking the Legendary One very nearly perfectly.

Yuna giggled in spite of herself. "You know, between you and Rikku, Auron's good name is really getting sullied." Yuna's cousin, too, was good at mocking the older guardian.

"Don't change the subject," Tidus said, sternly now. "What's up?"

Yuna sighed. "It's just … when I was walking back from the beach, the sky got really dark … it's very ominous."

Tidus lifted the material that served as a door for the hut and his brow furrowed. "It's fine now," he said easily. "Are you sure you didn't just imagine it?"

Yuna turned and looked outside. Sure enough, the sky was clear and blue, and the sun was shining gloriously. "That is so weird," she said. A cold chill passed through her, and her skin erupted in gooseflesh. "Something's not right."

"Yeah, I'd say," Tidus said, stepping outside the hut, an extremely bewildered look in his blue eyes.

Yuna followed him out, and gasped in shock. "Daddy?" she breathed.

Standing before her was Braska, looking as dumbfounded as she felt. "Yuna?" he asked in his quiet voice. "I don't understand."

Yuna reached out and put her hand on his shoulder, as if she were making sure he was real. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she threw herself into his arms. "You're … really _here_." She could hardly believe it. "But … but _why_?"

"I really don't know," Braska said, relishing the fact that his daughter was before him, and that he could hold her again. "I'd like to think it's a good thing."

Yuna looked up at him and smiled through her tears. "It _is_ a good thing. Oh, Daddy." She pulled out of the embrace and walked back to stand beside Tidus. Taking his hand in her own, she smiled.

"Ah, yes," Braska said. "Young Tidus. I understand that the Fayth sent you back."

Tidus nodded, a bit nervously. Even though he had conversed with Braska on several occasions while they were both on the Farplane, it seemed _different_ now, somehow. Maybe it was because Braska was his father-in-law now. "Yeah, I guess … they thought Yuna deserved it," he said.

Yuna shook her head. "You're just being modest. You deserved it too!" she protested. "Maybe that's why you're back too, Daddy."

Braska smiled, a bit sadly. "Somehow, I doubt things are that simple. There were rumors, on the Farplane, of some big evil rising in Spira."

"So maybe it has something to with that," Tidus said, brow furrowed with concern. "We should probably be ready for that sort of thing."

Yuna shook her head, refusing to let her happy day be marred by talks of evil things. "No! It doesn't always have to be _bad_, you know! I've done enough! Why can't they just let me be _happy_?"

The commsphere at Yuna's feet suddenly flickered with static, and then Rikku's face came into view. "Yunie!" she cried out. "Yunie, you will never _believe_ what is going on!"

Yuna knelt down to ground level. "Rikku, what is it?"

"We're on our way in the airship," Rikku said.

"Who's 'we', Rikku?" Tidus asked.

"Tidus! Oh, my gods, you aren't going to believe this … Jecht and Auron … they're back!" Rikku crowed.

"They're with you?" Yuna asked, confused. "Why did they end up in Bikanel?" she asked no one in particular.

"I'm not really sure … they don't really know what's going on either. But I think, if both of them are back, maybe Braska is too!" Rikku continued excitedly.

"You don't say," Braska said, amusement sparkling in his blue eyes as he regarded his niece on the machina sphere.

Rikku gasped. "Braska!" She turned her head and addressed the men behind her. "Auron! Jecht! Braska's in Besaid, with Yunie!" She turned back to the sphere. "Wow. Just … wow. We'll be there soon, okay?"

Yuna laughed at her cousin. Rikku was never going to change … she would always be bouncy and flighty and wispy and _perfect_.

And today … today was a very good day. Yuna refused that something bad was about to happen. Three people she cared a great deal for were _back_. All she wanted to focus on was spending time with them, and enjoying this gift for everything it was worth.

**Omega Ruins**  
Seymour Guado regarded the abandoned ruins in the far east of Spira with keen observation. Nodding with satisfaction, he smirked to himself. 

"Poor Lady Yuna," he said cruelly. "You will pay. You and those ignoramuses that you call friends and family. The end of this pathetic world is so very nigh."


	2. The Reality of Living

**A/N:** **Here's Chappie 2! Yay for inspiration! Anyway, this chap is basically just fluffy nothingness, because it involves the guys getting acclimated to being back on Spira, among the living. Lots of good stuff to come, I promise. Just so you know, the Seymour stuff ... I'm going to build up to that, because I don't want this to be all anti-climatic and stuff. So there won't be any major battles or anything any time soon. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy! Reviews make me write faster (wink wink, nudge nudge)!**

**Chapter Two  
The Reality of Living**

**Cid's Airship  
**"Hey, why didn't we have one of these babies on Braska's pilgrimage?" Jecht asked Auron as they sat around the bridge, making the three-hour trip to Besaid.

"Perhaps because we didn't know any Al Bhed?" Auron said dryly. "Or perhaps because there were no airships at that time? Take your pick."

Jecht glared. "What is _your _problem, man?" he asked his friend. "We're back! This is _good_ news."

Auron shook his head. He often wondered if Jecht would _ever _learn. "Somehow I doubt that the Higher Powers just decided to let us go," he said sarcastically.

"Why not?" Rikku asked, rejoining the men on the bridge. She carried a tray of snacks, which she set down on the small table that they were sitting at. "I mean, you guys_were _heroes, after all." She looked at Jecht. "Well, sort of."

"The world must be kept in balance," Auron explained, looking up at Rikku, still amazed at the transformation. Any hint of the teenager of Yuna's pilgrimage was almost completely gone. Instead, she was a confident, capable young woman, who regarded them with seriousness behind her still-mischievous green eyes.

And gods, she'd been cute when they'd been on Yuna's pilgrimage, but now … she was absolutely beautiful. Her golden hair was waist-length now, but she kept it tied back from her face, which still held the same remarkable spiraled green eyes, the same impish smile, but now also held maturity and responsibility.

And her figure … she'd gotten a bit taller, and she was all lean muscle and gracefulness and strength. She wore a bit more clothing now than she had on Yuna's pilgrimage, as well. Part of the maturity, Auron supposed. She had changed from her working clothes when they had gotten to Home. She was now dressed in a long, bright orange flowered skirt made out of a gauzy material that seemed to float around her – while clinging to her legs at the same time – and a simple white sleeveless shirt that showed off her tanned and toned midriff. Her feet were bare.

"Balance?" Rikku asked, and Auron realized he'd been staring. Immediately, he looked away and focused on the food that she had brought. Jecht snorted and Auron shot him a dagger-filled look.

"Uh, yes, balance," Auron said, trying to regain his thoughts. "If we were brought back, that means that a person or persons of equal strength on the _other_ side of things is also back."

Rikku sat down in the empty chair and regarded Auron seriously. "So … someone – or more than one someone – who is pretty bad is back? And this is a certainty?"

"Nothing is ever certain, Rikku," Auron said in his usual fashion, eliciting a smirk from Rikku. "What?" he asked, noting her expression.

"You haven't changed a bit," she told him with a teasing grin. "Still a grouch."

Jecht laughed out loud at that. "That's about right," he said. "Grouchy old Auron."

Rikku turned and smiled quickly at Tidus' father, having forgotten that he'd been there all along. She then turned back to Auron. She'd gotten so absorbed in listening to him. She had forgotten how much she had liked his voice back on Yunie's pilgrimage. Everything about Auron had been soothing to her back then. She was pretty sure that she had had the exact _opposite_ affect on him, however.

"Ahem." Jecht broke into her thoughts, and her head snapped up.

_Oh, gods, I was staring!_ The color rushed to her cheeks as she looked down at the table.

"Geez, am I interrupting something?" Jecht said jokingly.

Rikku's cheeks flamed. "N – No!" she stammered. She looked at Auron and smiled quickly. "I just … I can't believe you're back, you know? And you're like – the same!"

Auron returned the smile. "It is a bit of a shock, seeing you again, as well. Although, you are _not_ the same."

"Hmmm," Rikku said, tapping her chin in mock-thoughtfulness. "Is that a good thing? Because I can always revert!" She bounced up, put one hand on her hip, and waved the other one in the air, like she had always done after battles four years ago.

"Yevon help us all if you do," Auron teased gently, though he couldn't keep the twinkle out of his eye at her antics. She rolled her eyes and smacked him playfully on the arm. He had removed his signature red coat and was sitting there in his black shirt, his muscular forearms exposed to Rikku for the first time. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Luckily, he had turned to Jecht and they were discussing possible reasons for their return.

Rikku sat back in her chair and listened to them, basking in it all. Maybe there was some big, terrible thing coming. But this … having them back … was amazing. It was strange … she hadn't even thought about him all that much since the defeat of Sin, but now that he was back, she couldn't keep her eyes off of him. Maybe it was because she was older now, but he didn't seem so – untouchable, detached. He almost seemed, well, _accessible_ to her.

Not to mention sexy as hell. Yeah, she'd had a crush on him before, but in that "he's older and can protect me" sort of way. Now, she looked at him and was just completely overcome by his presence.

_Well_, she thought to herself as she made her way across the bridge to talk to her father. _This could get interesting_. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that Auron was looking at her.

_Very interesting indeed_, she thought with a giddy feeling rising in from somewhere deep inside.

**Besaid  
**The airship arrived on the beach later that night, and there was a large group of people on the beach to meet it. Yuna, Tidus, Wakka, Lulu, and their son, Vidina, and, of course, Braska.

"Sir Auron!" Yuna cried, rushing at her former guardian. They embraced, and then Yuna pulled away. "Sir Jecht. It is good to see you again. And under much more pleasant circumstances this time." She smiled a little.

Jecht nodded. "Agreed," he said amicably.

Rikku stepped out from behind the two men. "Hi, Yunie!" she said, hugging her cousin tightly.

"Oh, Rikku! It's so nice to see you again!" Yuna grinned. "Bit of a shock, wasn't it?"

Rikku looked at Auron and Jecht and smiled to herself. "Little bit, yeah," she said. "I mean, they're supposed to be _dead_ and all that." The two girls giggled, and then Yuna nudged Rikku.

Rikku turned and grinned, watching the reunion between Jecht and Tidus.

"So," Jecht said, as if he were uncomfortable around his own kid. "Still a crybaby?"

Tidus just shook his head and rolled his eyes, pulling his father into a bear hug. "All the time, Old Man," he said quietly, and Rikku could see the tears sparkling in Tidus' impossibly blue eyes as Jecht returned the hug.

"All right, all right," Jecht finally said, pulling away. "That's enough of this mushy, sissy-boy crap!" But everyone could see the tears in Jecht's eyes too.

Rikku squeezed Yuna's hand. "Now see? _That_ is more like it!" she said with a bright giggle. She made her way over to Vidina and scooped him up into her arms. "Isn't this fun, Vidina?" she asked the four-year-old, who was the spitting image of his father. Vidina nodded and laughed out loud as Rikku twirled him around. "Everybody's back and it's _perfect_!"

After a few more minutes of spinning with Rikku, Vidina ran off to play with some in the water with some of the Aurochs, who had "adopted" their Captain's son as something of a mascot for the team.

Rikku walked over to Lulu, who was watching him with her keen eyes. "So, what do you think of all this?" Rikku asked the mage.

Lulu regarded the younger girl thoughtfully. "Not sure yet," she said honestly. "It seems … too good to be true."

Rikku nodded. "Auron said the same thing," she replied. "He said that if _they_ are back, then there might be some evil people who came back as well." She shuddered involuntarily at the thought.

Lulu smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, Rikku," she said quietly. "I really don't think that there is anything here that the _nine_ of us couldn't take."

Rikku nodded. "You're right, Lulu, as always." She looked over at the others. Yuna, Tidus, and Wakka were all gathered round Braska, Jecht, and Auron, talking animatedly and laughing. "Look at Yuna," she said. "She looks so happy. Like everything is just perfect for her now."

Yuna waved them over and Rikku gave Lulu a grin and trotted toward them. "What's up?" she asked her cousin.

"Nothing, we just thought you guys might like to be sociable, ya?" Wakka said jokingly as Lulu joined them.

"We were being sociable. With each other," Rikku said nodding authoritatively, and the others laughed.

The group sat around the beach until the sun began to set. Yuna turned to her father. "We would love to have all of you stay with us tonight, but our hut is small. We have room for you and for Sir Jecht, but Sir Auron …"

"It's nothing to worry about," Auron said kindly, waving his hand dismissively.

"You can stay on the airship!" Rikku sang out before she had really thought it through. _Oh, that's just great, Rikku!_ she scolded herself. _Hey, Auron, come back to the airship with me, heh heh heh. _She felt like smacking herself in the face. "I mean, if you want. There's a _lot_ of room, and you don't have to sleep outside." She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

Auron just smiled at her. "Thank you, Rikku, for the kind offer," he said. "I believe I will accept. It's been … a long day," he added tiredly.

"I'll show you the cabin," Rikku said quietly. She turned to the others. "See you in the morning." As an afterthought, she ran back across the beach and threw herself at her uncle. "It's nice to finally meet you," she said softly.

Braska laughed gently and returned the hug. "And you as well."

Rikku pulled away from Braska and gave Jecht a goofy grin. "And _you_ …" she began, shaking her finger at him. "It's nice to meet you when you're not trying to destroy Spira."

Jecht laughed. "Couldn't agree with you more, Al Bhed," he told her good-naturedly.

"Okay, we're really going now," Rikku told them. "See you tomorrow!" She waved and skipped back across the sand to where Auron stood waiting. "Braska's pilgrimage must've been something else," she said when he was in earshot.

"You could say that," he said with amusement, following her into the airship.

She led him through the main corridor of the airship and stopped at one of the doors, entering a code on the keypad. "Hopefully this is okay," she said as the door slid open, revealing a spartan room that contained only a bed and a nightstand. "It's not … fancy or anything."

"It's fine. You should know by now that I don't need much to get by," Auron told her kindly.

Rikku looked away, not meeting his eye. "I just … wish I had more to offer you, is all. You guys are back from the _dead_ for some reason that is totally beyond all of us, and _this_ little room is the best I can do." She shrugged. "It just … doesn't seem right, somehow."

"Rikku," he said, looking down at her.

"Uh, the bathroom is the next door down, just enter 5064 and the door will open. And my room is on the other side of that." She paused. "Knock if you need anything."

"Rikku." Auron was confused. Why wasn't she looking at him?

"See you in the morning!" Rikku said quickly, taking off down the hallway toward her own cabin. This was all a little crazy. And now … now Auron wasn't just some heroic crush figure in the eyes of a silly and flighty teenager. He was a heroic crush figure in the eyes of a strong and capable _young woman_. And he was back from the dead. And it was all a little bit too much for Rikku to take in at the moment.

She punched in the code to her cabin as quickly as she could, hoping to get well inside the confines of her room before …

"Rikku!" That was Auron's "not gonna take any more shit" voice.

_Uh-oh_. Rikku steeled herself for the inevitable. She turned around and looked down the hall at him meekly. "Uh, yes?" she stammered, forcing a megawatt smile.

"Thank you," was all he said before disappearing into his cabin.

Rikku felt deflated. _That's ALL?_ She didn't know why, but she felt … disappointed somehow. Sighing, she entered her own cabin and sank down to the floor, leaning against the wall.

"Gods, I really don't need this right now!" she said aloud, stomping her feet on the floor for emphasis. Sometimes talking things out to herself _really_ helped. "And _when_ did he become so _gorgeous_? How come I never noticed _that_ before? Aaargh! Why the _hell_ is this happening?" She shook her head and stood up. "Doesn't matter, doesn't matter. He thinks that they are here for some big evil thing … if that's true, then they will probably just … _disappear_ after we fight the thing."

She paused. "Well that doesn't seem right." Why bring people who were special to so many people _back_, if you were just going to rip them away again? Wouldn't that just cause _more_problems than it solved?

Shaking her head, she changed into her nightgown and crawled into bed. Too tired to think anymore, she drifted off to sleep.

Back in Besaid Village, Yuna and Tidus were up all night, talking to their fathers, and feeling blessed to have them back.

And far away in the forgotten Omega Ruins, another man was meticulously preparing to shatter their world.


	3. Instinct

**A/N:** **Well, here is the next chap ... this one is also full of fluffiness ... but it's all good. The plot will be thickening in the next few chapters, so enjoy the nummy delicious fluff for now! I think this chap is cute, I hope you guys do too. XD Also, here are the Al Bhed translations for this chap:**

_"Fryd dra vilg yna oui tuehk? Sir Auron ec uh dra airship! Frana dra ramm yna oui kuehk?" _"What the fuck are you doing? Sir Auron is on the airship! Where the hell are you going?"

_"Asankahlo pylg eh Bikanel. Fuh'd dyga muhk. Tuh'd funno ypuid ed!"_ "Emergency back in Bikanel. Won't take long. Don't worry about it!"

**Enjoy! REVIEW, pleeeeeez and THANK YOU! XD Here we go:**

**Chapter Three  
Instinct**

**Cid's Airship  
**Rikku woke up the next morning to the familiar sound of the hum of the airship's engine. Sighing contentedly, she rolled over and started to drift off again. _Wait a second. The engine should _not_ be humming right now! We're docked in Besaid!_

"Cred!" she cried out, jumping up and rushing to the intercom across the room. "Pops! Fryd dra vilg yna oui tuehk? Sir Auron ec uh dra airship! Frana dra ramm yna oui kuehk?"she cried, pressing the button that allowed her to speak to the bridge.

"Asankahlo pylg eh Bikanel. Fuh'd dyga muhk. Tuh'd funno ypuid ed!" Cid's voice replied.

"Aaaaargh!" Rikku fumed before releasing the button. "Dammit all to hell," she cursed, kicking the wall in frustration. _Hopefully Auron feels up to an adventure today. _Shaking her head, she stepped out into the hall and headed to the bathroom to shower.

Half an hour later, she emerged, squeaky clean, wearing a pretty yellow sundress, hair done up in several tiny braids. The door to the bathroom slid open and Rikku found herself face to face with Auron.

"Oh!" she cried out in surprise. "G'morning," she said quickly. "Been … waiting long?"

"A few minutes," Auron said vaguely, offhandedly taking in her appearance. "Why are we moving?" he asked her, leaning in closer, speaking in a low tone.

Rikku chewed on her bottom lip nervously. "Well, I kinda wondered the same thing when I woke up this morning. Apparently there's some kind of emergency back in Bikanel, and Pops didn't think to let us know before taking off," she said, trying to sound as if this sort of thing happened all the time.

"I see," Auron said, nodding slowly. "Well, I suppose there's nothing we can do about it now."

Rikku inwardly sighed with relief. "I thought you might be … mad," she said with a nervous giggle.

Auron just shook his head. "I spent ten years being mad about things that I had no control over. It's not a good way to live … or _un_live, as it were."

"Hmm," Rikku mused. "Maybe you _have_ changed," she stated softly.

"Well, I'm not unsent any more, if that makes any difference," Auron said.

Rikku shook her head. "It's so crazy … I mean, you're _alive_. Does it …" Blushing, she turned her head.

"Does it what?" Auron prodded.

She took a deep breath and looked up at him. "Does it _feel_ any different? I mean, do _you _feel different now, than you did then?" She shook her head. "Never mind, that's stupid. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not stupid," he told her gently. "And yes, it's different. Sensations are more … real to me. I felt things as an unsent, and I saw things as an unsent, but it all lacked clarity." He was looking at her intently, searching her face as if he'd never seen it before.

"So … does that still hurt?" Rikku asked, breaking the awkward silence by pointing at his scar. "Did it even ever hurt at all?"

Auron chuckled dryly. "It hurt like a bitch right after I was attacked. By now, though, there's no sensation there at all. I tend to forget about it."

"Well, I always kinda liked it," Rikku admitted, looking up at him shyly. "It made you seem so strong and brave when I was younger, you know? Like, 'Look, he survived _that_. He can _definitely_ keep all of us safe.' Except … well." Sighing, she broke their mutual gaze. "Anyway … uh, the bathroom's all yours. Sorry to keep you waiting." She turned and took off down the hallway, once again, leaving a bewildered Auron in her wake.

He was still amazed at the difference that four years had made. She still had her childlike fascination with things, and a way of speaking before thinking, but all of that was what made her unique. And the fact that he was alive now … well. That put a new spin on things _entirely_. Shaking his head, he walked into the bathroom.

At the same time, Rikku had made her way up to the airship's deck, and was standing at the edge, watching the clouds fly by her. "Gods, I'm such an idiot!" she chided herself. "'So, does that scar still hurt?' Blah. Obviously not! He got it like fifteen years ago! Yeah, scars tend to hurt _forever_. Rikku, you are a geek!"

She sighed to herself as she thought about their encounter. Funny, how she'd gotten butterflies as soon as she had seen him, standing outside the bathroom door. Yeah, she was Rikku, known for crushing on guys _way too easily_, but this was _Auron_. Even _Yunie_ had had a crush on him at one point, so this was nothing to be concerned about. In fact, it would probably all blow over in a few days.

Didn't mean she couldn't enjoy it while it lasted though. Stoic ronin warrior eye candy was _definitely_ underrated. Smirking slyly, she trotted back into the airship to send a transmission to Besaid via the commsphere to let the others know what was going on.

**Besaid  
**Yuna woke to the sound of her commsphere right outside the hut crackling to life. "Yunie!" Rikku's singsong voice rang out.

"Rikku?" Yuna said, confused. "What's going on?"

"Pops decided to take us on a joyride back to Bikanel before I was awake. We'll be back later on tonight … _hopefully_," Rikku said irritably.

Yuna giggled. "Is Sir Auron very angry?" she asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

"Surprisingly, no," Rikku said. "Living, breathing Auron certainly is a different bird than the guy we're used to, you know?"

"I think maybe the pull of the Farplane was affecting him at the time of my pilgrimage. I'm actually amazed at how well he held up, all things considered," Yuna admitted. "All the sendings that I did in his presence …"

Rikku nodded. "That's true. You're so smart, Yunie!" She giggled. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what was up. See you later? Don't go off fighting any baddies without us, all right?"

"All right, I promise," Yuna said, crossing her heart. "Have fun!"

The commsphere faded back to its usual translucent blue color, and Yuna stood up, stretching her arms behind her back. She entered the hut again, as quietly as possible, so as not to wake anyone else up.

"Is everything okay?" Braska's voice coming from the kitchen caused Yuna to jump.

"Oh!" she cried out. "Daddy. You scared me."

"I apologize," he said sincerely. "That sphere woke me up."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Yuna said, concern filling her bi-colored eyes. "It was Rikku. It seems that Cid was needed back on Bikanel, and she and Sir Auron are along for the ride."

"Well, _that_ should be interesting," a third voice chimed in.

Yuna turned to smile at Jecht. "Why do you say that?" she asked.

Jecht rolled his eyes, and in that instant, he looked just like Tidus. "Oh, it's nothing, really," he said dismissively. "Just yesterday, on our way here, they kept making googly eyes at each other, though neither of them would admit it if you asked."

Yuna's eyes widened and flashed with glee. "Really? Sir Auron and Rikku?" she breathed. "I mean, Rikku, I can definitely see doing that … she _did_ have a little crush on him before. But _Sir Auron_ was … Wow." She clasped her hands together.

"As I live and breathe," Jecht said, and then chuckled at the irony of that statement.

"Well, I guess she _has_ changed quite a bit," Yuna reasoned, making her way to the stove to prepare breakfast.

"Who's changed?" Tidus asked, joining the others in the kitchen.

"Rikku," Braska replied. "It seems that she and Auron might be having a bit of a flirtation."

Tidus burst out laughing. "That old man? And _Rikku_? Okay, _that_ would never happen!"

Yuna turned to look at him. "Why not? Is there something _wrong_ with my cousin?" She fixed him with a no-nonsense stare that Tidus had come to know and fear in the past two years.

"No, Yuna, there's nothing wrong with _Rikku_ … which is exactly my point!" Tidus stated boldly.

"So … you're saying there's something wrong with Sir Auron?" Yuna's eyes sparkled with mirth. "Oooh, I'm gonna tell him you said that. You're gonna be in _big trouble_." She giggled as Tidus walked up behind her and began to tickle her. "Go 'way!" she told him, swatting at him with a spatula.

Braska and Jecht watched their children with amusement. After a few minutes, Yuna handed them each a cup of coffee. "Thanks," Jecht said, and Yuna smiled in return. "Besides, Tidus," he continued. "If _you_ can get a girl like _Yuna_, there's hope for us all."

Tidus glared at his dad. "Funny, Old Man. Real funny. Just wait till later when I kick your ass at blitzball."

Jecht laughed heartily at this. "We'll see about that, boy."

Yuna finished cooking, and set the plates of food down in front of the three men, and then joined them at the table. She smiled at the banter between Jecht and Tidus, at the easy familiarity that seemed to radiate around the room.

_Every day from now on should start like this_, she thought to herself with a sigh of contentment. _There's nothing evil out there … this is simply our reward. We've earned this._ I've_ earned this._

After breakfast, Yuna cleared the table, and Tidus washed the dishes in the sink. It was a routine that they had become accustomed to; they didn't even need to exchange words to complete the task.

The four of them made their way to the beach, where they met up with Wakka, Lulu, Vidina, and some of the Aurochs.

Lulu made her way to Yuna almost immediately. "So?" she asked. "How is it?"

Yuna's face broke into a huge smile. "It's absolutely amazing, Lulu!" she gushed. "I don't care why they are back, I'm just so glad that they're here."

Lulu's crimson eyes clouded for a bit. "Aren't you worried, even a little?" she asked gently.

Yuna shook her head adamantly. "_No_," she stated firmly. "Nothing is going to happen."

"I hope you're right, Yuna," Lulu said softly. She admired the younger woman's resolve, but she still felt a twinge of uneasiness gnawing at her. Her sixth sense was more developed than most peoples', and she'd learned to take her gut feelings seriously.

_Something_ was here, in Spira, and whatever it was, it wasn't good. She could only hope that they would be up to the task when the time came.


	4. Oasis

**A/N:** **All right, new chap here! XD Anyway, this chapter focuses solely on Auron and Rikku in Bikanel. There is no mention of anyone back in Besaid, because when I wrote this, I didn't feel that there was anything that needed immediate discussion going on back in Besaid. All the good stuff is going on RIGHT HERE! lol Don't worry, I'll get back to the bigger stuff in future chaps, but I was in the mood for something PRETTTTTY ... so here it is! Enjoy. And as always: Reviews make me HAPPY!**

**Chapter Four  
Oasis**

**Home, Bikanel Island**

"Gods, this is _boring_," Rikku mumbled, staring out her window on the second level of Home. She was waiting for Cid to finish up doing whatever the hell had been so important. Her chin was resting on her palm, and she was drumming the fingernails of the other hand on the windowsill.

"I see you still haven't learned that patience is a virtue," Auron said with amusement from the doorway.

Rikku turned and regarded him. "Pop give you the boot?" Auron had gone to see if there was anything that he could do to assist Cid.

"He said it was really only of concern to the Al Bhed," Auron replied.

Rikku rolled her eyes. "He's such a snob, I'm sorry," she said apologetically. "It's no wonder Brother's such an ass."

"It's fine, I didn't really expect any less," Auron said dismissively.

"Well, _I_ expect them to be nicer to guests in our Home," Rikku fumed. "I feel really bad about this … you'd think they'd just get_ over_ it already."

"Some people are loath to change," Auron told her.

Rikku suddenly noticed that he was still standing in the doorway of her room, looking at her pointedly. "Oh! I'm sorry! Come in, please, Auron." She giggled. "Me and my stellar manners, you can see they've really improved."

Auron chuckled and entered the room. Rikku bounded over to one of the chairs and cleared off the heap of clothes, weaponry, and machina that had been piled upon it. "Here ya go!" she said brightly, dumping the mound of stuff onto the floor. "Sorry, I'm kinda messy."

"I would have been surprised to learn otherwise," Auron said with a twinkle of amusement in his good eye as he sat down.

"Ha ha, very funny," Rikku retorted, sticking her tongue out at him. "I must say, though, I'm impressed that you found me at all. Home is kind of like a maze to people who aren't used to it."

"It was easy enough," Auron said breezily. And then, "I always do seem to find my way to you." He said the last sentence softly, so quietly that Rikku wasn't sure that she had heard him correctly.

"Auron?" she said quizzically.

He waved his hand. "Don't worry about it," he said. He wasn't really even sure where _that_ had come from. There was just something … _something_ about this girl now. Something that he was certain had always been there, but that he was just now open to receiving. And it was beckoning him like a moth to a flame.

Rikku looked back out the window, and saw that the sandstorm that had been raging for the past twenty minutes had cleared up. Good, there was something she needed to do, while she had him here. Smiling, she turned to Auron. "Come with me!" she cried.

"What?" Auron said, looking at her and taking note of the light that had come over her face suddenly.

"_Come. With. Me_," Rikku said slowly with a teasing grin. "I want to show you something. I mean, you got something better to do while we wait for Pop?"

Begrudgingly, Auron stood up, and started toward the door. Rikku ran up behind him and began tugging on his long red coat. "What the _hell_ are you doing?" he exploded.

Rikku froze, realization of what she had been doing suddenly hitting her. "Oh. Gods, I'm sorry. I'm not … trying to _undress_ you or anything." She gave him a hopeful grin. "It's just _hot_ out there … and I thought that you'd _not_ want to wear your coat, is all." She looked up at him, red-faced. Suddenly she burst out laughing.

"What now?" Auron asked, completely perplexed by the situation.

Rikku could barely stand up she was laughing so hard. "It's just such a collision of worlds, you being here, is all … and I was just treating you like I treat everyone else. And that's just _wrong_, obviously. I mean, I just walked up and started taking your coat off! You must think I'm _so_ bizarre right now!" Her peals of laughter rang out through the small room, and even Auron had to smile. Her laugh … was a kind of music all its own.

She regained her composure, a little at least, and regarded him solemnly. "I apologize, Sir. If you would still care to … accompany me, you might wish to remove your coat."

Auron shook his head in complete disbelief. Rikku looked at him, worried that he was pissed. She noticed that his shoulders were shaking. Was he? … he _was_. He was _laughing_ at her! "Rikku? What are you _doing_?" he managed.

"Trying to be respectful. Something that was important to you before. What are _you_ doing?" Rikku said, eyeing him warily. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I am fine," he said, back to his normal solemn self.

"Good to know," Rikku said, turning to head out of the room. With her back turned, she heard him remove his coat and then he began to follow her out. Rikku looked at him surreptitiously out of the corner of her eye and tried to hide her smirk. _Gods, he's just perfect_.

"So where is it we are going?" Auron asked her once they were outside Home.

Rikku made her way to one of the large hovercrafts parked just outside. She exchanged a few words with the pilot and then turned to Auron. "This baby is _ours_!" she announced proudly.

"You know how to drive this?" he asked her incredulously.

Rikku smiled impishly. "You're just gonna have to trust me," she said in singsong. "Hop on, Big Guy." When he hesitated, she blew out an exasperated breath. "Oh, you big baby! It's not like you haven't ridden with me before. Remember Macalania? The snowmobiles?"

"Yes, but those were small and manageable," he retorted.

"This is perfectly manageable," she told him brightly, starting it up. "Come on. Besides, I have something for you."

"What is it?" Auron asked.

"You'll never know if you don't get on!" Rikku cried out over the sound of the motor.

Sighing and cursing to himself, Auron boarded the monstrosity behind Rikku. "All right, I'm on!" he shouted over the whirr of the machina.

"Great! Hold on tight!" Rikku said, and put the hover into drive.

In a matter of minutes, Rikku had stopped the hover at the edge of an oasis. "You brought me to the oasis?" he asked her, mystified.

Rikku cut the engine and turned to him. "Yeah. There's something here for you." She jumped out of the hover and ran across the sand to the edge of the crystalline blue spring. She dropped to her knees and began digging.

"Rikku? What are you doing?" Auron asked, relishing the feeling of the heat. It had been so long since he'd been able to _feel_ the sun on his skin. It was an amazing sensation. Almost as amazing as the strange feeling that the little Al Bhed was stirring somewhere deep inside …

"Hold on, it's here somewhere!" Rikku said, not looking up from her task. "Aha! Here it is!" She bounded up, holding out an object for Auron. "Take it. It's yours."

Auron reached out and accepted the item. His eye shot up to Rikku's face when he realized what it was. It was a simple silver coin that bore the mark of his order of Bevellian Warrior Monks. For some reason, he had always carried it with him. "My talisman. From Bevelle. How did you get this?" he asked her.

"Oh, I knew you were gonna ask that," Rikku said, blanching. She took a deep breath. "I took it from your pocket as Yunie was sending you." She didn't look up at him as she confessed.

He looked at her in disbelief. "You … What?"

"Hey, buddy, I'm a thief, all right?" Rikku said defensively. Then she sighed. "Up until it actually happened, I didn't really think you were going anywhere. I thought you'd just stay on Spira as an unsent for, you know, forever. And then, Yunie started dancing and you started _disappearing_, and I freaked out. I wanted to make sure a part of you stayed here, in Spira."

"But … why?" Auron asked, still not exactly sure what was going on.

Rikku shrugged. "I don't know. I liked you. I mean, most of the time any way. I didn't want you to just disappear into _nothing_ and leave me with nothing to remember you by." She felt tears pricking her eyes. "I mean, I did the same thing with Tidus … but I gave that item to Yunie. I don't really know _why_ I kept yours. I guess, maybe because you protected me on the pilgrimage, and I thought maybe you'd somehow protect me afterwards, too." She laughed. "Silly, huh?"

"I thought 'memories are nice, but that's all they are'?" Auron questioned her.

Rikku laughed cynically. "Yeah, funny. I thought that too. But these memories, they didn't go away. You got sent, and Tidus faded … it was bad for a while. For everybody. We'd do things as a group, but there'd always be this hole … two people missing."

"But then Tidus came back," Auron said.

"Right, he came back, and I thought, well, great! Tidus is back, and Yunie's happy again, and things seem back to normal," Rikku told him. "But they weren't. And up until you guys showed back up on Spira, I really didn't know what was missing. This sounds bad, but I honestly didn't think you were _that_ important."

"And now? What's changed now?" Auron asked, almost afraid of what she might say.

"I realized I was wrong, and you were _very_ important, apparently," Rikku admitted. "At least … to me." She shook her head and dipped the toes of one foot into the spring. Finding it an acceptable temperature, she waded up to her ankles into the water. "Ever since you've been back … Have you felt, I don't know, _different_?" She looked away from him and stared out across at the horizon. "I don't mean different like 'I'm all alive now and I wasn't before', I mean different … about me." She said it quietly, almost as if she were talking to herself.

Auron stood at the edge of the spring and looked at her, standing in the sparkling blue pool, the sun dancing on her golden skin, making her blonde hair shine. He'd be an idiot if he _didn't_ admit to feeling something. Because what he was feeling was the strongest, and _strangest_, new sensation of them all.

Attraction. Electricity. Chemistry. Want. Need. And it was all focused on this one girl. _Rikku_. Not so very long ago, the very idea would have been ridiculous to him. But looking at her now …

It didn't seem so ridiculous any more. She was all grown up, and she was beautiful and as sweet and as funny as she had ever been. She had become _exactly_ who he had wanted her to become, four years ago on Yuna's journey. The woman she was capable of being, she was now.

"Yeah," he said in a low tone. "Yes, Rikku, I feel differently now."

Rikku went still, her back still turned to him. "I see," was all she could think to say. "Good different or bad different?"

Auron chuckled. She was as hardheaded as ever. Without thinking, he waded into the water until he stood behind her. In one swift movement, he grabbed her by the upper arms and spun her around until she was facing him.

Her eyes widened in shock at his sudden behavior. "Auron?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper. "What are you doing?"

He flicked a strand of her wheat-colored hair out of her face and looked down at her. "Remembering what it's like to feel," he told her.

She laughed a little. "Um, how does it feel?" she asked him nervously.

"You tell me."

Seconds later, his lips found hers. The kiss was swift and innocent … a mere brushing of lips against lips. But it ignited a spark inside both of them. Rikku just stared for a minute after they parted.

"Wow," she said, stepping back, eyes glassy with adoration.

"I'd have to agree," Auron replied, widening the gap between them by stepping back, as well.

"We … we should get back," Rikku stammered, stumbling out of the water and back toward the hover.

"Rikku," Auron said, causing her to turn.

Rikku whirled and looked at him, only to find him smiling gently at her. She smiled back. Her lips still tingled from the kiss, and she wondered if maybe he might do it again sometime. She certainly _hoped_ he would.

Auron was already planning on it.


	5. Everything's Perfect

**A/N: This is my fave chapter so far ... I think it's really cute and funny, plus there's some story progression going on, so it's not JUST fluff, although there's plenty of that too! ;-p Hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! REVIEW, por favor, and I will luv you forever and ever and ever! ) **

Chapter Five  
Everything's Perfect

**Isle of Besaid**  
They spent all day on the beach, Yuna and Tidus, Jecht and Braska, Wakka, Lulu, and Vidina. The sunshine was glorious, the water was shimmery, and the breeze was refreshing. Everyone laughed when Tidus smugly showed his dad that he had learned the "Sublimely Magnificent" Jecht Shot Mark III, and Jecht had been shocked. 

"Well, I'll be damned," Jecht muttered under his breath. "Not bad kid, although your way lacks a little _finesse_, if you know what I mean."

Tidus just shook his head as he came in out of the water. "Whatever, Old Man," he retorted, shaking off his excess water on Yuna.

She squealed and pushed him into the sand. She stood over him, hands on her hips triumphantly as he looked up at her. "Yu-na," he whined. "What'd ya do that for?" With a devious grin, he pulled her down with him.

Laughing, she lay back in the powder-soft sand and stared up at the clear blue sky happily. "I wonder what Rikku and Auron are doing now?" she asked Tidus.

He sat up and shrugged. "Who knows?" Thinking for a minute, he made a face. "If what Dad said is right, I may not _want_ to know."

Yuna punched him playfully, pulling herself up to sit beside him. "Be nice … don't you think it'd be sweet?"

"Auron? Sweet?" Tidus snorted. "I've seen sweeter Chimeras."

Yuna shook her head and giggled softly. "Rikku said he's different now."

"I don't know, Yuna," Tidus said doubtfully. "I've known Auron for a lot longer than Rikku has. I'd say he's not gonna change any time soon."

"You've known _unsent_ Auron," Lulu said, walking over to them, Vidina trailing behind her. "I'm sure that had to have some sort of effect on his mentality."

Yuna nodded her agreement, and Tidus looked thoughtful. "I guess I didn't really think about _that_," he conceded.

Vidina plopped himself down in Yuna's lap and rested his head on her shoulder. She smiled down at him. "Hey, there, Vidina," she said to the boy.

"Hey, Yunie," he replied sleepily. He had adopted Rikku's nickname for Yuna as soon as he had been able to talk.

Yuna looked up and Lulu knowingly. "I can take care of him, if you want, until he falls asleep," she said quietly.

Lulu nodded. "Thank you," she said, walking toward Wakka.

Yuna smiled down at the drowsy child in her lap, and gently stroked his fiery red hair off of his brow until his eyelids began to droop. It wasn't too long until he fell into a sound sleep. Tidus looked at the two of them and smiled to himself. He wouldn't mind having a son of his own one of these days. Maybe he should talk to Yuna about it.

Yuna looked over at Tidus and wondered when she should tell him that soon, they'd have their _own _baby. It was still early, she was only two months along according to her calculations, and she knew it might be better to wait until the risky stage was over. It wasn't necessary to worry Tidus over it yet.

They were at the beach until almost sundown once again, and the airship hadn't returned yet. "I hope everything is okay on Bikanel," Yuna said, brow furrowed as they gathered their things and prepared to head back to the village.

"I'm sure it's fine, ya?" Wakka said, putting a reassuring arm around Yuna's shoulders. "You know how Cid can be."

Yuna nodded. "You're right, Wakka. Besides, Bikanel's been pretty calm since … well, since Home." It was true. The Guado destruction of Home during Yuna's pilgrimage had been the last catastrophe that had occurred on the desert island.

"See?" Wakka said jovially. "Nothing to worry about. Plus, Rikku and Sir Auron, they can hold their own, ya?" He lowered his voice and whispered to her, "Don't stress yourself out, okay, Yuna? It's not good for the baby."

Yuna's eyes shot to his face. "How did you –?"

Wakka's warm brown eyes twinkled. "Lu told me. Don't worry, I'm not gonna say nothin'."

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Hey, you better not be telling secrets with my wife, Wakka!" Tidus called out good-naturedly from behind them.

Wakka winked at Yuna. "And what if we are, huh?" Wakka joked. "Think you could take me?"

"Oh, I know I could!" Tidus shot back.

At that, Wakka laughed heartily. "You keep tellin' yourself dat, brudda," he said. He gave Yuna's arm a gentle squeeze before catching up with Lulu and Vidina.

Tidus caught up with Yuna and put his hand on her arm. "You sure looked cozy," he commented breezily.

Yuna looked up at him and blinked solemnly. "Yes. I'm sorry that you had to find out that way," she said gravely.

"Find out what?" he asked her.

"That Wakka and I are having a shady affair," she said quietly, still with a straight face. "It just happened … irresistible forces, you know?"

Lulu's laugh rang out from up ahead of them, and soon Tidus giggled as well. "You are a crazy crazy girl, you know that?" he told Yuna fondly.

Yuna smiled at him. "I take after my father," she told him, noting that Braska and Jecht had caught up with them.

Jecht chortled. "Please. Braska, crazy? That's a good one."

"I asked for you to be my guardian. Put my life in _your_ hands. I'd say that makes me _highly_ insane," Braska said good-naturedly.

Yuna couldn't keep the grin off of her face. _This_ was exactly how life was supposed to be – everyone here, everyone happy and joking. And together.

When they entered the village, one of the Aurochs came up to Yuna. "A man came through here earlier," he told her. "He asked that I please make sure the High Summoner got this. Its from Bevelle."

"Thank you, Botta," she said kindly, taking the heavy white envelope from him. She opened it and read the enclosed letter. "Oh, wow!" she breathed. "It seems that Bevelle has heard of the return of you three," she explained. "There's to be a ball, in your honor, in two weeks' time!"

Lulu felt a knot forming in her stomach. "Let me see that," she said, holding out her hand. Yuna handed her the invitation, and Lulu read it over thoroughly. It _seemed_ perfectly normal and okay, but something inside was screaming at her.

Wakka looked at her, concern all over his face. He knew when Lulu was feeling something. "Lu?" he said carefully.

She shook her head and handed the paper back to Yuna. "It's nothing," she told Wakka. "I'm sure it's nothing. It's just a _party_. It will be fun, for all of us to go," she said, hoping she sounded nonchalant. She _wanted _to believe what she told them.

What could go wrong at a _party_? There'd be lots of people there. Nobody would be stupid enough to try anything,right?

**Omega Ruins**  
Seymour smiled gleefully. Casting that glamour on himself and transporting into Besaid to deliver the summons had been tiring, but very well worth it. The whole plan had gone flawlessly, thankfully. 

Once he had learned that Braska, Jecht, and Auron had also been sent back, he had had to come up with a plan quickly.

He had infiltrated Bevelle, disguised as an important political figure, and arranged the ball in honor of the three "heroes." And then, he had gotten to Besaid and delivered the invitation.

What more perfect way to kidnap the High Summoner than among a throng of drunken, party-minded people? No one would suspect him, and his revenge on the woman who had ruined him could _finally_ begin in earnest.

**Cid's Airship**  
Rikku hadn't seen Auron since they had returned to Home after the incident at the oasis. Cid had been ready to go, and he'd been mad as _hell_ that they hadn't been around. 

Now she was on the airship's deck, hoping to avoid any contact. She was a little embarrassed about what happened, even though she had had _nothing _to do with it.

"He kissed _me_," she told herself. "So why am I beating myself up over it? I oughta march back in there and give him a piece of my mind." She stopped and then sighed. But what would she tell him?

The truth of the matter was, even though that had been the most chaste kiss she had ever shared with a man, it was also the most all consuming kiss she'd ever experienced. She had felt it all the way to her _toes_.

It had probably just been a moment of weakness for him, though. _Why would the Legendary One want to kiss _me Rikku wondered. _I wish he'd do it again_. She shook her head at the absurdity of her thoughts.

She stared out over the darkening sky. They'd be back in Besaid soon, but they'd probably have to wait until tomorrow to see the others. "I wish men made sense!" she cried out.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing about women." The voice behind her caused Rikku to nearly fall over the edge of the deck.

"Oh, my gods, don't _do_ that!" she cried out, putting a hand over her heart as she turned to regard her intruder. "How long you been there?"

Auron regarded her languidly. "Not long," he told her, arms crossed, leaning against the side of the airship.

"Well …" Rikku said, starting to feel like a blithering idiot. "Well, if you want to stay out here, that's fine, but I think I'm gonna head in and get ready for bed – I mean, get ready to go to sleep." She walked toward the door that led to the airship's interior, but Auron caught her upper arm with his strong hand.

Rikku looked down at his large hand on her slender upper arm and then back up at him. He still didn't have his coat on, and he was also without the cowl and sunglasses that had once been a part of his "uniform." This afforded her a very good look at his face. "What are you doing?" she asked him.

"I don't really know," he said honestly. His hand began to lazily caress her arm, and Rikku fought the urge to close her eyes and get lost in the sensation.

Shaking her head in disgust, she smacked his hand. "Stop it!" she told him in a fierce whisper.

Auron raised his eyebrow. He noted the genuine confusion on her face and immediately released her arm. "I apologize," he told her softly.

"For what?" she asked him. "For trying to hold me hostage or for … for …"

"Kissing you?" he finished easily, pushing himself off from the wall. "Should I apologize for that?" He stared at her evenly with the same cool gaze he had given her four years ago:

_"Show me your face. Look at me." Auron's voice had been gruff, but kind.  
"Oh, okay," Rikku had said warily. She lifted her face to him, eyes closed._

_He had bitten back a chuckle. "Open your eyes," he said firmly. She opened one swirled eye and looked up at him. "As I thought," he remarked._

"_Um, no good?" she had asked him in her sweetest, cutest voice.  
"Are you certain?"_

"_One hundred percent!"_

Rikku shook her head to clear her mind. Funny how that memory had suddenly taken on a whole new meaning for her. "Should you apologize for kissing me?" she reiterated. "Yes! And … no."

Auron shook his head and rolled his one good eye. "Well? Which is it?"

Rikku crossed her arms in front of her huffily. "I don't know!" she admitted glumly.

"Rikku," Auron said wearily.

"Well, you _should _apologize for kissing me if it was just a 'caught up in the moment' kinda kiss," she told him, suddenly hating how immature she was sounding. "But if it's something you plan on doing again …" She looked up at him coyly.

Auron raised his eyebrow at her again. "I see," he said simply. "Well, then I apologize."

Rikku's spirits sank. That wasn't what she had expected at all … she had thought for _sure _…

Without warning, she found herself in Auron's arms. One of his strong hands rested on the small of her back, the other one was on her cheek, stroking the soft skin with his calloused fingertips.

Her eyes widened, and her heart began to race. "Auron?" she whispered dreamily, closing her eyes in anticipation.

He smirked a bit, and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, letting his lips linger for a long moment. "I guess I just got caught in the moment," he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Then, as suddenly as he had grabbed her, he had released her, and had disappeared through the door, leaving a very bemused and furious Rikku alone on the deck.

"Oooh!" she cried out in frustration, still shaking from the close contact. She kicked the side of the airship, irritated. "Very sneaky, Sir Auron," she said to herself. "Fine, I'll give you points for that one. But you just wait!"

Auron stood on the other side of the door, waiting and laughing. Sure enough, less than two minutes later, the door slid open and an absolutely _livid_-looking Rikku came through it.

He wasted no time in seizing her and planting his lips on hers. Rikku melted against him and sighed into his mouth.

At that exact moment, Cid's voice came over the intercom. "We're back in Besaid. You two gonna go into the village tonight?"

Auron groaned as Rikku pulled away from him. She shook her head in complete irritation, turned to the intercom and pressed the button. "It's late, I think we're just gonna stay onboard tonight," she told her father.

"All right then," Cid said.

Rikku turned back to Auron, and he made a move toward her again. She shook her head, though, smiling devilishly. "Apology accepted," she told him smugly, backing out of the small alcove they were in. "G'night, Auron," she said over her shoulder, heading toward her own cabin. "Sweet dreams!"

Auron laughed to himself as he watched her walk away. _It probably serves me right_, he conceded to himself. "Touché, Rikku!" he called out after her, shaking his head in amusement. _What have I gotten myself into?_


End file.
